CClinicalTrials.gg
Sign In
CompletedNCT00465049Updated Oct 22, 2012

Comparison of Suturing and Packing of Drained Abscesses

A Phase 2 interventional study of PRIMARY CLOSRE and SECONDARY CLOSURE in Cutanoeus Abscesses, sponsored by Stony Brook University. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 85 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2012-10-22.

Sponsored by Stony Brook University · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
100
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 85 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The standard treatment for skin abscesses in drainage followed by packing to prevent premature closure and reaccumulation of pus. Studies from the 1950s and later conducted outside of the US suggest that when drained abscesses are drained and sutured closed they actually heal faster without complications. The current study compares the time to healing and scar formation when drained abscesses are packed or sutured.

02

Conditions studied

  • Cutanoeus Abscesses

Browse trials for

Keywords

  • abscess, primary closure, secondary closure
03

In context

Abscess

149 studies on the registry are indexed under Abscess; 32 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 100 is close to the median of 96 across 102 interventional studies indexed under Abscess.

Browse Abscess studies →

Lead sponsor

Stony Brook University is the lead sponsor of 191 studies on the registry; 36 are open to participants now.

Of its 22 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 10 (45%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 85 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Non complicated abscesses

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Fever,
  • Immunocompromise,
  • Cellulitis,
  • Perianal and
  • Pilonidal abscesses
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
100 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    primary closure

    suture after I\&D

    Other: PRIMARY CLOSRE

  • Placebo comparator
    SECONDARY CLOSURE

    LEAVE TO HEAL BY SECONDARY INTENTIN AFTER I\&D

    Other: SECONDARY CLOSURE · Other: SPONTANEOUS HALING

Interventions

  • OtherPRIMARY CLOSRE

    SUTURE

  • OtherSECONDARY CLOSURE

    ALLOW TO HEAL SPONTANEOUSLY

  • OtherSPONTANEOUS HALING

    SECONDARY HEALING AFTER I\&D

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Days to healing.

    Time frame: 1 week

Secondary outcomes

  1. Need for subsequent drainage, scar appearance.

    Time frame: 1 week

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Stony Brook University Hospital
    Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • ELLIS M. Incision and primary suture of abscesses of the anal region. Proc R Soc Med. 1960 Aug;53(8):652-3. No abstract available. PubMed 13726484 ↗
  • Khanna YK, Khanna A, Singh SP, Laddha BL, Prasad P, Jhanji RN. Primary closure of gluteal injection abscess (a study of 100 cases). J Postgrad Med. 1984 Apr;30(2):105-10. No abstract available. PubMed 6527292 ↗
  • Ajao OG, Ladipo JK, al-Saigh AA, Malatani T. Primary closure of breast abscess compared with the conventional gauze packing and daily dressings. West Afr J Med. 1994 Jan-Mar;13(1):28-30. PubMed 8080827 ↗
  • Stewart MP, Laing MR, Krukowski ZH. Treatment of acute abscesses by incision, curettage and primary suture without antibiotics: a controlled clinical trial. Br J Surg. 1985 Jan;72(1):66-7. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800720125. PubMed 3881155 ↗
  • Edino ST, Ihezue CH, Obekpa PO. Outcome of primary closure of incised acute soft-tissue abscesses. Niger Postgrad Med J. 2001 Mar;8(1):32-6. PubMed 11487781 ↗
  • Abraham N, Doudle M, Carson P. Open versus closed surgical treatment of abscesses: a controlled clinical trial. Aust N Z J Surg. 1997 Apr;67(4):173-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1997.tb01934.x. PubMed 9137156 ↗
  • Singer AJ, Taira BR, Chale S, Bhat R, Kennedy D, Schmitz G. Primary versus secondary closure of cutaneous abscesses in the emergency department: a randomized controlled trial. Acad Emerg Med. 2013 Jan;20(1):27-32. doi: 10.1111/acem.12053. PubMed 23570475 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 22, 2012, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00465049
Lead sponsor
Stony Brook University
Responsible party
Adam Singer (RESEARCH DIRECTOR, Stony Brook University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Apr 24, 2007
Start date
Jan 2007
Primary completion
Jan 2012
Completion
Feb 2012
Last update
Oct 22, 2012

Study contacts

Adam J Singer, MD
principal investigator · Stony Brook University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2012. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Other studies in this condition

Abscess→

Other studies from this sponsor

Stony Brook University

Start the discussion